For the Better
by Kryptonian-Suckerpunch
Summary: After the death of her sister, Ellen Flannery decides that she needs a fresh start. This 'fresh start' comes in the form of leaving her previous home for peculiars and joining Miss. Peregrine's. New people, new places, and new experiences... will they help Ellen?


There were sixteen wards in Miss. Raven's care, and Ellen Flannery was one of the most well behaved. She didn't draw much attention to herself; she did her chores without complaint, cared for the younger children silently, and never spoke out of turn. Ellen was more of an assistant than a ward, Miss. Raven always said. She was so quiet and polite, everybody wondered how she could possibly be related to Gwen Flannery.

Gwen Flannery, five years younger than Ellen, was a hurricane of a girl. She seemingly never ran out of energy, always running up and down the halls, as well as all around the yard. She couldn't grasp the concept of an 'indoor voice', considering she yelled almost everything she said. She was rambunctious, always enlisting some of the younger kids into elaborate schemes to create mischief around the house. While Ellen was an assistant for Miss. Raven, Gwen was the cause of headaches. Miss. Raven always joked that Gwen's peculiarity was an endless void of energy. Though quite believable, Gwen's peculiarity came in the form of holographic manipulation.

With one flick of her wrist, whatever Gwen was thinking about would project as a 2-D animation on her palm. Her power was very popular among the younger ones, who watched her holograms with wonder for hours on end. Whenever she showed off her power, there was an endless chorus of requests for animations from the little ones. They were mesmerized by the animations, never growing tired of watching them. Gwen, of course, was happy to comply.

After Gwen's death, there was a noticeable dip in the energy of the house. It was almost like her death had sapped oxygen from the air, making the air itself seem different in some inexplicable way. The little one's were quiet and grew bored very easily. Nobody could entertain them like Gwen had. There were no more pranks in the house, and it felt like there was a chunk missing from their lives. The lack of Gwen hung evidently in the air of the entire house, and it was practically suffocating Ellen.

Ellen and Gwen weren't very close. They were polar opposites and butt heads on a lot of things, but they were family. They both had been thrown out on the street by their parents for being 'changelings' that had 'replaced their real children.' They both had suffered and nearly died on the streets before Miss. Raven had found them and taken them in. Though they weren't alike, they shared an understanding and love between them.

The death of Gwen didn't hit anyone harder than it had hit Ellen.

Ellen had always been a quiet girl, but now she was mute. She didn't speak, not even a squeak of voice. When they buried Gwen, Miss. Raven had squeezed Ellen's hand and whispered that if Ellen needed anything, all she had to do was ask. Ellen nodded solemnly, but did not say a word.

A month after her sister's death, Ellen asked to be placed into a different loop.

Of course, Miss. Raven had refused on the spot. Once she listened to Ellen's reasoning, though, she began to consider it. It was unfair to make Ellen live with the death of her sister still so heavy in the air. Unfair to make her walk the yard that served as her sister's grave. Unfair to make her listen to the little one's whine about how much they missed Gwen. It was then decided that Ellen would promptly be removed from Miss. Raven's care and become a ward of Miss. Peregrine's.

The little ones all said goodbye to Ellen, hugging her and wishing her well. Everyone felt pity for Ellen, and hoped that the new loop would help her grieve the sister they all missed.

It wasn't until they met with Miss. Peregrine did Miss. Raven say goodbye. She embraced the young girl with a warm but pitying smile. Miss. Raven smoothed her hair and told Ellen how much she would miss her, wondering how she would keep the house together without Ellen's help. The goodbye was short, and then Ellen went with Miss. Peregrine.

"Miss. Raven has spoken very highly of you," Miss. Peregrine began, leading Ellen up the walkway to the house. "One of her best wards, she had said"

Ellen nodded, though this was all information that she had already known. She knew Miss. Peregrine was making conversation in attempt to make her feel more welcome, but Ellen wasn't much for talking these days. In the month since Gwen's death, she had spoken in mumbles only when completely necessary.

The yard was very well-kept, as she had expected. The grass was a refreshing green, flowers thriving healthily in almost every spot she looked. Topiaries of impressive quality caught her eye, beautifully shaped animals and sculptures from shrubbery. A wild haired girl tended to the head of a topiary giraffe. The girl spotted Ellen and eyed her curiously, while Ellen avoided her gaze and cast it on the ground. She began to feel a bit nervous, wondering if moving really was a good idea. Ellen shoved the thoughts down, knowing that a new place with new people was better than facing the same people with the absence of one.

"The children will be very excited to meet you," Miss Peregrine continued, waving at the wild-haired girl, who waved back politely. "I will ask them to keep it calm until you are settled in, so you will not be bothered."

Ellen was silently grateful for that. She had moved to a different home because the thought of Miss. Raven's without Gwen was impossible to bare, but she wasn't sure how easily she would be able to adapt to a new place, either. Again, she pushed the thoughts down. This is for the better, she reminded herself, repeating the words as a mantra in her head.

They reached the doorway when Miss. Peregrine turned to Ellen. She took Ellen's hands into her own and gave them a small squeeze, along with a friendly smile upon her lips.

"You are going to like it here, Miss. Flannery. I can guarantee it"

With that, Miss. Peregrine opened the door and gestured for Ellen to enter.


End file.
